


Whistle

by pugoata



Series: Anchor [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bumbleby - Freeform, F/F, Fluff, a little bit of found family, back to the boat au!, lots of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-04-21 08:42:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22057243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pugoata/pseuds/pugoata
Summary: AU: Blake had never lived anywhere with snow before, yet not even the cold could dim the joy of her first Christmas in Maine. It had only been six months since she had first met Yang on Maine’s rocky coastline, but everyone on the island of Patch already felt like family. It was a life she never could have imagined, even just one Christmas ago.Now she lived with the woman she loved and had friends who adored her. There was little else Blake truly wanted for Christmas. She already had it all.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Anchor [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587592
Comments: 74
Kudos: 451





	Whistle

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a teeny sequel to my larger fic, [Anchor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18726889/chapters/44418982). If you haven't read it, you'll probably still enjoy this oneshot, but you may not get the full effect.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!!

“Next winter,” Weiss swore as she hefted a shovel full of snow off the deck, “we are going to be somewhere _warm_. Like Belize. Or Tahiti.”

“Or Uganda!” Ruby chimed in, digging in for another shovel-full. 

“First of all, Uganda is land-locked,” Weiss replied crossly, fixing Ruby with a glare. “And second-- oh,” she muttered when Ruby began to crack up. “You were joking.”

“It’s not exactly the place I’d go for a tropical getaway,” Blake agreed, pushing a few stray clumps off snow off the steps. “But I don’t think there’s snow there. I could see the appeal.”

For someone who’d never lived with snow before, moving to Maine right before winter had been a bit of a shock. In Vale, winters had always been mild, rarely having snow. Menagerie, the place where she had spent most of her adult life, had been a tropical island. She’d been in Maine for nearly two months now, but she still hadn’t become accustomed to the cold. And then there was _snow_.

A thick blanket of it had descended upon them during the night. It had started the afternoon before, with fat snowflakes that fell so steadily, Blake had felt like she was living in a snowglobe. It had been nice, and almost magical, until it came time to shovel it.

“I’m just glad that Dad managed to get the snowblower working again,” Ruby said with a sigh, scraping at some of the snow that had stuck to the deck. “Last winter was _torture_.”

“So Yang was saying,” Blake replied, a grin tugging at her lips. Apparently, the snowblower had broken down right after Christmas the year before, and the Xiao Long-Rose household had to shovel all the pathways for the shipyard by hand.

“Yang didn’t have to deal with any of it!” Ruby grumbled. She waved her shovel at Blake. “She was always off, plowing snow--”

“Hawaii,” Weiss mumbled, tossing another shovel-full. “That might be nice.”

“But you’ll have to deal with it next year!” Ruby’s laugh had an almost evil undertone as she scraped at the packed snow their boots had made. “It’ll be just you and Dad. And Yang, if she isn’t plowing.”

“Thank God for snowblowers,” Blake said, chuckling. “The decks aren’t too bad on their own.”

And truthfully, they weren’t. It was much faster to do it with Weiss and Ruby, but Blake was more than capable of doing it on her own. For now, though, shoveling with friends made for an easier transition.

Ruby sighed heavily with relief as they tramped inside, kicking their boots against the door jamb to knock off the snow stuck to them. Inside, they fought for space in the entryway to pull off coats and boots. There were so many winter coats and sweatshirts on the coat hooks that Ruby ended up hanging hers on top of one of Yang’s hoodies.

“Who else wants hot chocolate?” she asked excitedly, rubbing her hands together. Weiss had been the only one to wear gloves, and both Ruby and Blake’s fingers were pink with cold.

“We don’t need to have hot chocolate _every _time we shovel,” Weiss pointed out, to which Ruby shrugged.

“We don’t always have it!”

“We do most of the time,” Blake added with a small smile. “But I think I’ll take some.”

“And so will I, I suppose.”

“I’ll make extra, then.” Ruby slid across the floor in her socks and toward the kitchen, with a little too much energy for someone who’d just been shoveling. “Yang’ll probably want some too. She should be home soon, right?”

“Yeah, she texted me before she left Kuroyuri,” Blake said, biting back her smile before it spread too wide. Yang had been up since early that morning, plowing driveways and private roads. It was a way for her to earn a little extra money in the winter, when the shipyard was closed, but it often meant that she had to wake up long before sunrise. Blake was always still in bed when Yang kissed her goodbye. Then she’d stomp through the freshly-fallen snow to get to Tai’s truck, to plow until late morning or afternoon. It meant she’d be tired when she got home, but exhaustion never put Yang in a bad mood. She was always ready to offer Blake a kiss and a smile upon her return. “I’m sure she’d love some.”

Right on cue, one of Blake’s cat ears twitched as it picked up the vibrations of a truck approaching the house. Weiss didn’t notice the sound, her hearing not as acute as Blake’s. She only pulled her scarf off, stacking it on top of Yang’s winter coveralls.

“I’m going to shower while we wait on that cocoa,” she informed Blake. “You don’t need the bathroom first, do you?”

“All yours,” she replied, too quickly. There was a slam of a truck door, which Weiss _did_ hear. She huffed with amusement.

“Apparently,” she muttered, though she left it at that. That summer, she might have rolled her eyes or offered up some witty remark about Blake’s sudden distraction. At the very least, Blake would have expected resignation in Weiss’s tone, but there was none of that now. She’d calmed down considerably since she’d started dating Pyrrha, becoming more tolerant of their shamelessly affectionate behavior. It was like Yang said: getting laid had been good for Weiss.

It was still a few minutes before Yang made it back to the house, so Blake joined Ruby in the kitchen. She sank into one of the dining room chairs, curling her fingers into fists to warm them up. They were still so cold.

“Good thing we picked up a new bag of marshmallows,” Ruby remarked, tossing an unopened bag to her. Blake caught it. “The old one was almost out.”

“That would have been a disaster,” Blake said seriously. 

“I _know_!”

The front door opened with a creak, and Blake’s ears twitched up.

“I’m hooome!” Yang sing-songed. There was a rustle as she pulled off her coat, and she immediately launched into chatter. “God, I’m gonna need a nap or something. My coffee’s wearing off, and that gas station coffee is giving me heartburn.”

“Didn’t you bring a thermos?” Blake called, pushing up from the table to meet Yang in the entryway.

“Yeah, but like…” Yang pulled off her beanie, her blonde hair frizzing with static. She met Blake’s raised eyebrow with a grin. “You know it never lasts long. G’morning, sweetheart.”

“It’s technically afternoon now,” Blake corrected, and Yang laughed.

“Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.”

She bent, giving Blake a light kiss, the taste of coffee mostly masked by peppermint. Blake took advantage of their close proximity by slipping her hands under her thermal undershirt, pressing her cold fingers onto Yang’s muscled sides. She was always so warm, and Yang gave a yelp, shuddering.

“Your hands are _freezing_,” she accused, though she didn’t pull away. Blake leaned in, pressing her head into Yang’s chest. The metal whistle Yang often wore was cold against Blake’s cheek. Why Yang insisted on wearing it to plow snow was something Blake suspected she’d never understand.

“We were just out shoveling.”

“That’d do it. You weren’t wearing gloves, were you?”

“We weren’t out long enough to make gloves worth it.”

Yang tutted. “Well, good thing I’m here to warm you back up.”

“Good thing.”

“Hot chocolate’s ready!” Ruby called from the kitchen. Regretfully, Blake drew her hands out from underneath Yang’s shirt.

“Another thing to warm you up,” Yang teased, then, to Ruby, “I hope you made me some!”

“You’re so entitled,” Ruby replied, poking her head out of the kitchen doorway. “But I did.”

Yang beamed. “I could definitely use something sweet right about now.”

“Like you weren’t just munching on candy canes in the truck--” Blake muttered, resisting the urge to grin. Yang poked her in the ribs, making her squeal.

“That’s enough outta you!”

“Candy canes,” Ruby repeated with a snort. She’d already set mugs of hot chocolate on the table. Blake sat back in her chair and wrapped her hands around her mug gratefully, while Yang snatched the bag of marshmallows.

“Sucking on them keeps me awake,” she said with a shrug.

“And if you suck ‘em to a point, you can shank someone with it!” Ruby added gleefully.

“That’s horrifying,” Blake remarked, though Ruby and Yang laughed.

“It makes it easy to dispose of the evidence,” Yang added, sitting down and pulling the bag open. She dumped a handful of marshmallows into her blue _Maine Maritime Academy Dad _mug. “All you’d have to do is eat the candy cane when you’re done!”

Blake, who’d been taking a sip, nearly choked on her cocoa. “Yang, that’s absolutely _disgusting_.”

“A perfect holiday murder!” Ruby crowed. 

With Christmas a week out, everyone in the Xiao Long-Rose household was diving headfirst into the holiday spirit. The answer to everything became _Christmas_. It was why they were drinking so much hot chocolate, why there were suddenly candy canes in the truck’s cupholder, why Lifetime movies were constantly playing on the TV. Everything, including murder, apparently, was because of _Christmas_.

Not that Blake was complaining. For all the cold and murder, there was something so wonderfully homey about being in Maine at this time of year. From the Christmas lights that trimmed the windows and rooftop, to the homemade wreath on the front door, and even a menorah in the living room window (“Mom was half-Jewish,” Ruby had explained.), it felt like every part of their lives had been infused with cheer.

A few days prior, Yang had announced that Blake’s first Christmas in Maine wouldn’t be authentic until they’d chopped down a tree. So that afternoon, she had driven Blake to a small wooded property outside of Kuroyuri, going down a long dirt road in Tai’s truck. It was a road that Yang often plowed in the wintertime, and they were friendly with the property’s owners. Each year, they were given permission to trundle through the woods to select a Christmas tree for themselves, and Yang would take the cost of a tree off their plow bill. It was an arrangement that worked for everyone.

It had been almost magical, walking through the woods with Yang. The tall pines were coated with a fine layer of snow, and the buzzing chirrups of chickadees echoed through the trees. It was a winter wonderland, and finally, Blake could understand what all the Christmas songs were about. They had walked for a while, evaluating different trees. Yang had seemed to know exactly what she wanted; she had been picky about finding the perfect Christmas tree, and they’d stomped through the snow for nearly a half-hour before finding the perfect balsam.

_It’s your first Maine Christmas! _Yang had reminded her excitedly for the thousandth time, stripping her jacket off, and then her flannel. It left her in her thermal undershirt, the muscles of her biceps pulling the fabric taut as she took a saw to the tree. _It’s gotta be perfect._

And so far, the holiday season _had _been perfect.

After Weiss had finished her shower, she joined them around the table. She accepted her own mug of hot chocolate gratefully, sighing as she took a sip.

“I’ve still got a little Christmas shopping to do,” she said, looking around the table. “I was thinking about going out this afternoon… How are the roads?” she asked Yang.

“The main roads are fine. Just be careful, at least until you get to Kuroyuri.”

“Got it.” She took exactly three marshmallows from the bag, dropping them into her mug. “I still don’t know what to get Winter.”

“I know what she’s getting me!” Ruby announced, taking another handful of marshmallows.

“Because she always gets you the same thing, you dolt.”

“A popcorn tin,” Yang told Blake with an eyeroll. “Winter’s boss gives her a tin every year, and she brought to our house a few years ago for Christmas… and Ruby ate, like, all of it.”

“It’s got both the cheesy kind _and _the caramel kind _and_ the buttery kind!” Ruby explained, like Blake had never heard of a popcorn tin before. “But there’s _also _a caramel kind that’s, like, drizzled with chocolate--”

“--and ever since,” Yang continued, “Winter just slaps a bow on it and calls it good.”

“Regifting done right,” Weiss said with an amused smile.

They finished their hot chocolate and ate a light lunch, discussing gift ideas and explaining their Christmas plans to Blake. The Xiao Long-Rose household was a bit of a hub for their friends during the holidays, as an odd number of them either had no family nearby, poor relationships with parents, or no parents altogether. Tai liked to joke that he had adopted most of the young people of Patch, and Christmases were like large family gatherings.

This year, in addition to the four of them and Tai, they would also spend the day with Qrow, Ren, Nora, and Oscar. A few other people also planned on dropping in for at least a part of the day: Pyrrha, Winter and her date, and even Jaune, who had returned to Patch for Christmas. Ruby looked forward to Facetiming with Penny after they opened presents, and Blake had promised her parents that she would call them, as well.

Her first Christmas in Maine. Blake couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so _excited_ for the holidays.

When Yang’s yawns began to increase in frequency, Blake rose, tapping her on the shoulder. “C’mon. You need a nap, and I wouldn’t say no to one, either.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Yang said, punctuating the sentence with another yawn. Blake took their mugs over to the sink, rinsing them out and putting them in the dishwasher as Yang pushed herself up and stretched. “Thanks, baby.”

“Of course.” She strode back to Yang, giving a soft peck to the corner of her mouth. Yang smiled, then led them away.

Yang kept her longjohns on, crawling into bed and under the covers before opening her arm for Blake to join her. Blake snuggled close, content with Yang’s fingers stroking her hair.

“Warming up yet?” Yang asked sleepily, planting a kiss between the ears on the top of her head. Blake let out a small, tinkling laugh.

“Now that you’re back?” she asked. She slaked an arm around Yang’s waist. “Yeah. I am.”

\--

Blake had expected Christmas to be chaotic, but she hadn’t realized Christmas Eve was when the house’s festivities actually started.

It began at sundown, when Ruby ushered everyone around the menorah and closed her eyes. Hanukkah had begun a few days before, but this was the first time Ruby had made everyone watch her light the candles. She closed her eyes and murmured a few words in Hebrew, then lit the lead candle, the _shamash_.

“That’s like, the only Hebrew she knows,” Yang remarked fondly as Ruby lit the first candle. The first candle lit, Ruby looked up at Yang and stuck out her tongue.

The candle-lighting was only the beginning. It led directly to a large dinner that included not only token Jewish fare like latkes and challah, but roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and various roasted vegetables. It was way more food than any of them could finish, but there was a method to Tai’s madness.

“This means I don’t have to worry about cooking tomorrow, when we’ve got all those visitors!” he said, laughing. “They all know I’m too lazy to deal with dishes for so many people, so usually, everyone brings a little something for a light meal. Most of the time, they even help themselves to our leftovers, too. They _expect_ me to be a lazy ass!”

“They sure do,” Qrow said fondly, patting his arm.

“And I can’t disappoint them,” Tai added with a wide, innocent shrug.

After they’d stuffed themselves senseless, Tai shoved his plate away and rose, groaning and holding his stomach as he hobbled to the living room. He returned with four identical gifts in hand, all wrapped in garish snowman wrapping paper. Yang groaned.

“Really?” she asked.

“It’s tradition,” he insisted. Ruby, at least, seemed enthusiastic when she took her present from him, tearing into it.

“What tradition?” Blake asked skeptically as he handed her one.

“It’s a _tradition_,” he stressed, “that everyone opens my present on Christmas Eve… and then we do a photoshoot.”

“Dear God,” Weiss muttered, unwrapping hers. The small bundle was a pajama set.

“Now, everyone, go get changed!” he told them, making shooing gestures with his hands. “Uncle Qrow volunteered--”

“_Volunteered_,” Qrow muttered, taking a swig of whatever questionable liquid was in his mug.

“--to take our picture around the Christmas tree!”

“That… sounds extremely cheesy,” Blake said, slightly concerned as she opened her own. It matched Weiss’s, a long-sleeved red shirt with a black print of a moose, and similar red flannel pants patterned with even more moose. She stared at it.

“You know I’ve already got boxers like this, right?” Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. “Ruby gave them to me for my birthday this year.”

“And now you’ve got the full set!” Tai said proudly. He collected the discarded wrapping paper, a little too pleased with himself as the four of them returned to their rooms.

For someone who seemed less than thrilled about wearing matching pajamas with her sister, her girlfriend, and Weiss, Yang was oddly into the idea of Christmas photos. After they’d changed, Blake waited an extra few minutes as Yang rifled through her closet. As she waited, Weiss passed them on her way downstairs, looking less than impressed with her attire. She had, however, fixed her side ponytail so that it was slightly neater. Not even Christmas pajamas could take away her need to look perfect for a picture.

“Aha!” Yang announced, emerging from the closet with two accessories to truly complete her ensemble. She pushed a headband into her thick hair, two antlers sticking from the top. As a finishing touch, she pushed a little red ball onto her nose.

“You look ridiculous,” Blake said.

“I’m a reindeer,” Yang replied.

Blake laughed all the way down the stairs as Yang followed close behind her, practically hopping from step to step. As soon as they rounded the corner to the living room, Weiss groaned.

“I’m a reindeer,” Yang repeated, pointing at the nose.

“More like a _clown_,” Ruby said with a snort. “I’m surprised you didn’t put your clown shoes on.”

“You have _clown _shoes?” Blake asked with mild alarm. Yang burst into laughter.

“We are _not _getting into that right now,” she replied breezily, waving a hand. “Let’s get the pictures over with!”

Tai lined them all up in front of the Christmas tree, where they squeezed together in a small bunch. Ruby crouched in front of them, throwing up a peace sign, and Yang wrapped her arms around Blake’s waist, smiling over her shoulder at the camera.

“Don’t cross your arms!” Tai reminded Weiss, who dropped her arms, chastened. “Everybody, smile! Now, on the count of three…”

He took several pictures, making sure to take pictures that were both goofy and ones that were normal (though, how normal Yang could get with a clown nose, Blake couldn’t tell). At last, he told Yang to take off her accessories. She tossed the nose to the floor, where Zwei promptly dove for it.

When he was satisfied, he handed the camera off to Qrow. He jumped in to join them, throwing his arms around them. “Gotta get my annual picture with the kids,” he declared, grinning. 

“I should probably put my nose back on,” Yang said seriously. “That way, everyone will know I’m related to the family’s biggest clown.”

“I’m pretty sure Zwei’s eating it,” Ruby said, pointing next to the couch, where the little corgi was definitely chewing on the clown nose, his butt wiggling in happiness. Yang groaned, running over to confiscate it.

Fortunately, Tai didn’t demand too much of their time for ridiculous poses. “Just enough for Facebook bragging rights,” he explained. “It seems like every year, I end up with a new kid for Christmas!”

“Not exactly for _Christmas_,” Weiss clarified, settling into their overstuffed armchair. She curled her legs up and reached for her phone. “Blake was closer to a Halloween present, if we want to be technical.”

“Still, close enough,” he said with a shrug, leaning over Weiss’s chair and ruffling her hair. Weiss rolled her eyes as her ponytail was mussed, but Blake caught the small smile on her face before she hid it.

“Could we get some of just Yang and I?” Blake asked, almost sheepishly as Ruby joined Qrow on the couch. “Since it’s our first Christmas, and everything…”

“Of course!” Tai said, perking up. He gestured them to center themselves with the tree.

When Blake looked through them afterward, she was struck by how sweet they were, despite the cheesiness of their matching pajamas. The Christmas lights caught in their eyes and on their faces, bathing them in a colorful, comforting glow. In the more playful pictures, where Yang hoisted Blake up by the waist, the colors magnified Blake’s laughter and their joyful expressions. Yet there were a few other, more serious pictures. Blake’s favorite was the one where Yang had caught her by the chin, tilting it up so they could meet each other’s eyes.

Looking at that picture, Blake felt awash with love. She leaned into Yang’s body, nuzzling her shoulder.

“They’re so _cute_!” Ruby squealed as she looked over her shoulder at the pictures. “Weiss, you’ll have to get some with Pyrrha tomorrow!”

“Oh…” Weiss said, sounding surprised at the thought. “That… might be nice.”

“Yeah,” Yang remarked, her voice soft. Blake looked up at her, then smiled. Yang was still staring dreamily at their photo, looking lovestruck in her distraction. Realizing she was being stared at, Yang snapped her head up, a small blush creeping into her cheeks. “What?”

“Nothing,” Blake said, chuckling as she slid an arm around her waist. “Just thinking about how much I love you.”

“Funny,” Yang replied. She tilted her head, catching Blake’s lips in a kiss. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

\--

The day was a blur.

For a group of people who insisted on _small gifts_ only, the tree was nearly swamped with presents. Boxes with bows and ribbons, shiny wrapping paper, bags full of sparkling tissue. Tucked into the tree itself were numerous envelopes, most of them festively decorated with stickers. Gift cards were an easy present to give, but the people who gathered in the Xiao Long-Rose house were a sentimental bunch who enjoyed picking personal things out for people.

Blake had warned everyone in advance that, since she had a very small budget from working at the local convenience store/diner, she wasn’t able to give gifts to everyone. She’d tried to remind them not to get her anything, but most of them had been unable to resist the temptation.

She was stunned into silence at the quantity of gifts at her feet, unable to say a word as everyone took turns unwrapping.

“What’s wrong?” Yang asked, rubbing a hand on Blake’s thigh. Blake shook her head.

“This is a _lot_,” she replied, bewildered. “I definitely didn’t get something for everyone, and I _told _them that, but… there’s still so much.”

“Some people like to give for the sake of giving,” Yang told her gently. She peeled the bow off of one of her gifts, plopping it on top of Blake’s head, right between her ears. She smiled, then leaned in for a kiss. “They’re not giving you things because they expect anything back. They’re doing it because it makes them happy to.”

There was a constant stream of conversation as everyone opened their presents. It took a long time, with everyone taking turns, but it drew out the excitement. Ruby was practically vibrating on the floor as she opened Winter’s tin of popcorn, groaning with delight as she inhaled a handful of cheesy popcorn. Winter wasn’t the type to laugh very often, but her lip still curled in amusement.

“You act like you can’t just go up to the store and buy cheese popcorn on your own,” she remarked, shaking her head. Next to her, Robyn smirked. This was the first time any of them had ever met Winter’s girlfriend, a game warden who lived in Kuroyuri. Weiss hoped that her proximity meant that Winter would visit more often, which she would probably consider a Christmas gift on its own. 

“Yeah, but it’s different at Christmas!” Ruby pointed out, mid-chew.

“I always thought that was just because it was more stale,” Winter remarked, making Robyn chuckle.

Whenever it was Blake’s turn to open a present, she made sure to keep track of who had given her what, making a note of it on her phone. Even if she couldn’t give much, she wanted to, at least, be able to send thank-you notes to whoever had given something to her.

A handmade quilt from her parents, a pair of seaglass earrings from Weiss. Ruby had given her a mug that had a picture of the four of them on it, as well as a box of Blake’s favorite tea. And then, of course, numerous gift cards and various things from nearly everyone there. A small knot formed in the back of Blake’s throat as she thanked them.

Yang’s gift, especially, made her smile. A hat-and-gloves set, both a rich purple. She opened the hat, eyebrows shooting up in surprise at the two little pockets on top.

“For your ears,” Yang said eagerly, flapping one of them with her finger. “So they don’t have to be pressed too tight on your head.”

Blake pulled the hat on, and sure enough, her ears were fit snugly in the pockets. Not only that, but the lining was soft, and not at all irritating to the delicate skin. “I love it,” she said, her golden eyes meeting Yang’s lilac ones. They lit up at Blake’s approval.

“And then there’s gloves,” she added, gesturing to them, “so you don’t touch me with your icicle fingers anymore!”

Blake burst into giggles, setting the gloves down in order to wrap her arms around her. “Then I won’t have an excuse for you to keep me warm,” she pointed out.

“You know I’ll warm you up anytime, baby,” Yang murmured, low enough so that no one could hear. But at another round of Blake’s giggles, Ruby made gagging noises.

“I have a horrible feeling I know what my sister just said,” she complained.

“Just ignore them, Ruby,” Weiss said patiently. Pyrrha was running a hand along her thigh, which Blake suspected had the same effect as a snake charmer had on a cobra. Weiss even smiled, bending over to reach for her next gift. “It’s what I do.”

After the gifts were unwrapped and wrapping paper thrown away, everyone lounged around the house in a pleasant stupor, catching up with each other and eating the various foods set in the kitchen. There was a long discussion about what Weiss, Ruby, and Pyrrha might do for Christmas the next year, as they’d be sailing the world.

“We’re probably going to Uganda,” Ruby told her listeners seriously, munching on her popcorn.

“I didn’t know that was on a coast,” Oscar said with a small frown.

“It isn’t,” Ren sighed, but Ruby was already laughing at her own joke.

After Winter and Robyn departed, Weiss and Pyrrha mysteriously vanished upstairs, something Ruby complained about for the next hour.

“Not only is it Christmas, but it’s _Hanukkah_,” she whined as Nora dealt cards for a round of Egyptian Rat Screw. “That’s, like, a double sin.”

“I say, good for them!” Nora told her, not missing a beat. “They gotta enjoy the comforts of a real bed while they can.”

“_Ugh_!” Ruby covered her eyes. “I’m going to be sailing around the world as a _third wheel_!”

“Silly Ruby,” Yang said, lightly flicking her sister on the head. “Boats don’t have wheels.”

It was funny to think about, almost. Blake smiled at Yang, who smiled back. Blake had never had a Christmas like this before. Christmas had never felt so… _comfortable_.

Christmases with Adam had never been that way. Rather than setting up a tree of their own and celebrating a private Christmas, Adam would insist she put on her best dress so they could spend the day with whichever colleague happened to host a Christmas dinner. The day would be spent listening to Adam rage with White Fang members about whatever injustices the Faunus had to face that year. Even the exchange of gifts always ended up being more stressful than joyful. Adam had a habit of buying Blake overpriced gifts that she didn’t need, though he expected her to practically fall on her knees with gratitude, or else face the guilt he would lay onto her. By the time the day was over, she was always strung-out and anxious. 

This was the first Christmas in a long time where she could truly _relax_, and enjoy the company of those around her. Even surrounded by so many high-energy people, Blake was blissfully content.

“I’m full,” Blake said sleepily that night, sitting close to Yang on the window bench in their bedroom. They had turned the lights off, knowing that in a few minutes, they would climb into bed. Outside, snow had begun to fall. It probably meant another early morning for Yang, but for now, the falling snow was beautiful against the dark sky.

“You’re telling me,” Yang said with a groan, pulling Blake into her body. “That last latke was a bad idea.”

“Mmm.” Blake leaned into her, resting her head on her shoulder.

They let the silence hang, Blake listening to the steady _thump-thump_ of Yang’s heart. There was so much love in that heart. That even a fraction of it belonged to Blake seemed something of a miracle.

“Do you think you’ll like the book?” Blake asked after a minute. Her Christmas present to Yang had been a beautiful hardcover book, the pages edged with black. Yang didn’t read that often, but Blake had a feeling that lesbian necromancers in space would be something she’d enjoy.

“You know my tastes better than I do,” Yang replied with amusement. 

“I haven’t gotten to read it myself yet,” Blake admitted. “So I’ll probably steal it from you to read it.”

“We could read it aloud together.”

“It’s worth a try.”

Yang ran her long fingers up Blake’s arm, her calloused fingers gentle on her skin. She traced around to her inner arm to follow the outline of Blake’s tattoo, a familiar pattern that Yang probably had memorized. Blake had considered wearing a hoodie that night, but was glad then that she hadn’t. Yang’s touch was tender, and addictive. Besides, with Yang’s warmth around her, she had no need of a hoodie.

“This was… probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Blake said, looking up into Yang’s eyes. “Really. So… thank you.”

“The best?” Yang sounded surprised.

“Well… yeah.” Blake’s cheeks darkened with slight embarrassment. “Last Christmas, I spent it with Adam. And Christmases with him… were pretty miserable.”

“Oh, baby.” Yang tilted her head, her kiss so light on Blake’s lips. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s just a memory now,” she replied, giving a slow shake of her head. “I’m just… happy. That I can drown that memory out with new ones. With memories of new Christmases. Christmases where I can be happy. Where I can be with _you_.”

“And _my _Christmas was better with _you_,” Yang said softly. She paused. “You know this is basically our, like… six month anniversary, right?”

“Really?”

“Give or take a week… or maybe two. Since we first met.”

Blake pulled back, her dark eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Just six months?”

Yang laughed. “I know. It feels like forever, doesn’t it?”

“It _has _been forever,” Blake agreed. It went deeper than just their six months. There was something so definite about their love, so eternal. “Somehow.”

“I know.” In the dim light of the moon, Blake could see Yang’s smile. “But, technically… six months.”

“Okay,” Blake said, unsure of where Yang was going with this. She dislodged herself from Yang’s arms as the other woman shifted, leaning backward to reach for something hidden underneath a throw pillow.

“_This _is my real Christmas present for you,” Yang told her, handing her a small box in shiny gold wrapping paper. It was tied with a purple ribbon, the ends in curly-cues. Even in the darkness, Blake could see Yang’s face had gone completely red. “Well, mostly for the six-month anniversary part. But Christmas is as good a time as any, yeah?”

Blake lifted her eyebrow questioningly, and Yang nodded to the box in her hands. Without knowing why, her heart began to pound as she slipped the ribbon off. She didn’t tear the wrapping paper off, choosing instead to open it carefully at the ends. And inside...

...was a small velvet box.

“Yang Xiao Long,” Blake said, her tease trying to cover up her nervous anticipation. “Are you proposing?”

“What?” Yang looked completely taken aback, eyes going wide. “No! I mean, not right now. I mean--”

“I’m kidding,” Blake said reassuringly, her smile wide. Yang visibly relaxed. “I figured you wouldn’t propose after only six months.”

“Weirder things have happened,” Yang pointed out. “Now, go on. Open it.”

Blake snapped the box open, and it took a moment to register what, exactly, she was looking at. When she did, her jaw dropped slightly.

“This…” She pressed her fingertips to the metal whistle. “I…”

“It’s what brought us together,” Yang said, leaning in. Gently, she took the box from Blake’s hand, to take the whistle out of it. “I cleaned it, and put it on a nice chain, but--”

“But this is yours,” Blake stammered as Yang unfastened the catch. “This is the one you use for Ruby’s races.”

“And Ruby won’t be racing for a while,” she replied with a shrug. “Turn around.”

Blake, dumbstruck, did so. She felt Yang’s strong arms slide over her shoulders, and the soft weight of a metal whistle against her chest. Yang smoothed out Blake’s dark hair, pushing it to the side in order to fasten the chain.

“There,” Yang murmured, her low voice in Blake’s ear making goosebumps race down her neck.

“This was _yours_,” Blake whispered, turning back to her. Yang’s smile was excited, happy.

“And if I need to get another one, they’re, like… super cheap. But this one… it’s special.”

“The first day we met,” Blake breathed, closing her eyes, picturing the day. “It was Ruby’s boat race. And you were standing on the rocks, and you blew that whistle.”

“And then you followed me.” Yang reached forward, caressing Blake’s cheek with her fingertips. She opened her eyes, and in Yang’s face, she saw the same softness she’d seen on that very first day. Despite her mistrust, despite her fears… she’d been drawn to that softness. It was the softness she’d fallen in love with.

“Thank you,” Blake said, swallowing hard.

“God…” Yang’s laugh was small, nervous. Her thumb stroked Blake’s jawline. “I’m just… I’m so glad you heard that whistle. That you followed me that day.”

“Yeah.” Blake leaned her head in, resting her forehead against Yang’s. “So am I.”

Blake’s lips found hers, and she felt swept into that softness, into that warmth, into that love. She touched Yang’s wrist, encouraging when Yang cupped her cheek in her hand. Blake kissed her long and hard, her tongue slipping into Yang’s mouth, where warmth expanded into heat. She gripped Yang’s shirt in her hands, clutching it tightly and pressing herself closer.

Nothing was lost between them even as they rose and made their way to bed. They pulled at each other’s clothes and touched skin. Blake’s hands traveled up the muscle of Yang’s arms, skittering over the smooth scar tissue of her right arm as her hands roamed up Yang’s neck and to her face, holding it in her hands for a moment before letting them fall back to the bed.

She looked up at Yang, breathing heavily as Yang stared right back down at her. Everything between them was bursting, full of light.

“Yang,” Blake murmured, just to hear the name.

“Yeah?” Yang’s hand curled around her hip.

“I love you, Yang. So much.”

Yang’s smile was blissful, so full of adoration that Blake was nearly overcome. “Blake,” Yang said gently, leaning over her, so close that Blake could feel her warm, minty breath on her lips. “I love you.” She kissed Blake once, lightly. “I love you.” She kissed her again, harder. “I love you.”

Blake reached around her shoulder, her nails digging into the spot where she knew Yang’s anchor tattoo would be. Her body tightened, and her heartbeat thudded against the whistle on her chest.

Outside, the snow continued to fall.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year!! Super big thanks to my beta-reader, [Aziminil](https://aziminil.tumblr.com/) who came up with the Ruby's Christmas gift and the cute hat Yang gave Blake. THANKS, LOSER!
> 
> Also, HUGE thanks to clar-a-m on twitter/tumblr, who drew [THIS WORK OF ART](https://clar-a-m.tumblr.com/post/190003146238/i-was-reading-pugoata-s-fic-whistle-and-she) of Yang fixin' to chop down a Christmas tree. Those ARMS! Yang could probably rip a tree out of the ground with them arms.
> 
> I wrote this fic because one year ago today (12/31/2018), I posted my very first fic on ao3, a little Bumbleby oneshot. So it's my ficversary, and I happen to share it (one year apart) with the ESTEEMED [explosivesky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/explosivesky/pseuds/explosivesky), who also claims she is writing something, too...
> 
> Thanks for reading! I appreciate all comments! And feel free to follow me on any of the following:
> 
> Tumblr: [@pugoata](https://pugoata.tumblr.com/)  
Twitter:[@pugoata](https://twitter.com/pugoata)  
Playlist: on spotify!


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